Bastardy
A bastard is a person whose parents are not married to each other. A bastard can also be referred to as a natural son or natural daughter. Social status A polite way of referring to someone who is bastard-born is referring to someone may as a "natural son" or "natural daughter". Others might refer to a bastard simply as "bastard-born". The term "baseborn" is used to refer to a child of whom one parent is of the smallfolk. A euphemism for being bastard-born is being "born on the wrong side of the blanket". It is not unexpected for noblemen to have bastard children, though it is considered rude to pry into the origins of a man's bastards. While it is not typical for a noble to bring his bastards home and raise them with his own children, it is usually expected that he will see to the child's well-being to some degree. Some might chose to have their bastards fostered at the home of another lord, while others might decide to raise their bastard at their own home, in the position of a servant. A noble-born wife can take insult at her husband's bastards being introduced into her household and being commensurate in rank with her legally-born children. There is a certain stigma that comes from being born as a bastard. They are said to be born from lust, lies, and weakness, and as such, they are said to be wanton and treacherous by nature. Because of the stigma bastards have to deal with, they are said to grow up faster than trueborn children. Even after being legitimized, bastards will usually have considerable difficulty in removing the stigma of having been bastard-born. Nonetheless, a bastard might rise high. Bastards can be knighted, and may even be appointed to the Crownguard. Surnames Each of the seven clans of Elves of Cartham have bastard surnames decreed by custom, not law. Bastards with a high-born parent are given these surnames to hold them apart from their parent's houses. The parents may give a bastard a different surname if they wish, or no name at all. Bastard children of two people of the smallfolk are not given a distinctive surname. A bastard might also choose a surname for himself. Most legitimate offspring of a bastard decides to keep the bastard surname. If two bastards from two different regions marry, the children will most likely take their father's surname. Some later legitimate offspring of bastards might change their surname to demonstrate their legitimate nature, and remove the bastard-born taint. Acknowledgement At any point, the biological father of a bastard may acknowledge him and bring him formally into his house. An acknowledged bastard might even be considered to inherit a seat when no direct heirs can be found. Legitimization Besides acknowledging bastards, they can also be legitimized. This power is reserved to monarchs alone. Once a bastard is legitimized, this cannot be undone. Children born out of wedlock can be rendered legitimate if their parents marry afterwards, as in the cases of John and Albend Kross. Rights of Inheritance See also: Inheritance The bastard-born have few rights under law and custom. When it comes to rights of inheritance, there are no clear cut laws. A bastard may inherit if the father has no other trueborn children nor any other direct heirs to follow him. However, in order to inherit or be installed as an heir, the bastard-born child will first have to be legitimized by a royal decree. It is unclear whether a legitimized bastard would be placed in the succession according to birth order, or would be placed at the end, after the trueborn children. Coat of Arms Bastards do not have the right to use the arms of the highborn families from which they descend. Recognized bastards who take arms often, but not always, take the coat of arms of their fathers with the colors reversed. A bastard that wants to emphasize his filiation and minimize his own bastardy may decide to use the same sigil as his father, perhaps illegally. Other bastards might chose to combine multiple sigils. Notable bastards * Isabel and Sophia Kross, twin daughters of a Human man and a Dryad woman. Though their parents are unknown, it is unlikely they were married due to the Interracial Marriage Ban. * John Kross, born after his parents' first marriage, which was not recognized by the state; legitimized by his parents' official marriage shortly after his birth. * Albend Kross, born to Luciele Desien after a night with John Kross; legitimized by his parents' marriage four years after his birth. * King Geoffrey Fischbach III, born to Mary Gringel and fathered by King Geoffrey Fischbach II; legitimized by the Royal Council so he could ascend the throne. Category:Bastards